Anemia.

It is customary to call anemia not a disease, but one of the symptoms of pathological conditions of the body, in which the level of hemoglobin in the blood decreases. Hemoglobin , an iron-containing protein, is found in red blood cells (erythrocytes), it attaches "indigestible" oxygen molecules to itself, transforms them into the desired shape, and gives them to other tissue agents. Thus, hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen molecules to all organs. When the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood decreases , this leads to a lack of oxygen in the body and the development of many diseases. Very often anemia is called "anaemia", which justifies the causes of its occurrence.

There are several reasons for a decrease in hemoglobin levels:

The simplest explanation for low hemoglobin is significant blood loss that occurs as a result of bleeding during trauma, operating and postoperative bleeding, uterine or gastric bleeding, during childbirth, when providing donation services.
Decrease in hemoglobin levels during pregnancy
Decrease in the number of erythrocytes in the blood, which are the direct depot of hemoglobin. Is it possible:
1. in violation of the processes of hematopoiesis in the red bone marrow (iron deficiency anemia, B12-dependent anemia, folate deficiency anemia)
2. with pathologically accelerated destruction of erythrocytes (hemolytic anemia)

Typical symptoms of anemia:

Pale skin and mucous membranes of the lips
Feeling of constant weakness
Drowsiness
Dizziness
Increased fatigue
Increased heart rate not related to exercise
Shortness of breath
Increased heartbeat (at rest)
Noise in ears

Sometimes anemia can be asymptomatic, and its detection turns out to be pure coincidence.

In order to diagnose anemia, a blood test is performed for the level of hemoglobin concentration. In addition, it is useful to learn about the quantitative and qualitative state of erythrocytes: their shape, size, and the degree of maturity. If the general analysis shows signs of anemia , then additional blood tests are required to clarify the type of anemia and prescribe adequate treatment.

The hemoglobin level is normally 120-160 grams per liter of blood for women (for pregnant women this figure is 110-150 grams per liter of blood), 130-170 grams per liter of blood for men. A mild form of anemia is characterized by a hemoglobin level of 90-110 grams per liter of blood for women, 100-120 grams per liter of blood for men. Anemia of moderate severity is characterized by a hemoglobin content of 70-90 grams per liter of blood for women, 80-100 grams per liter of blood for men. A severe form of anemia shows a hemoglobin concentration below 70 grams per liter of blood for women and below 80 grams per liter of blood for men.

In children, the normal hemoglobin level is tied directly to age:

Newborn: 145-225
Weekly age: 135-215
Age of one month: 100-180
Three to six months: 95-135
From half a year to a year: 100-140
Three to six years old: 110-150
Seven to fifteen: 115-155
Fifteen to eighteen years old: 120-160

Treatment of anemia , as it becomes clear from the above, must correspond to a specific type of anemia. For iron deficiency anemia with a mild form of its course, it is enough to take iron-containing preparations (tablets or injections), organize meals with a high content of iron compounds. In case of anemia caused by a lack of vitamin B 12, it is taken in the form of vitamin complexes or injections. The same is done with a lack of folic acid. Its compounds are available in vitamin supplements or as single tablets. Doses of drugs are chosen by the doctor, correlating them with the detected severity of anemia. Sometimes the restoration of hemoglobin levels requires a blood transfusion (for example, with blood loss, oncology).

More severe cases of anemia associated with congenital or acquired disorders of hematopoietic function require a specific complex treatment: bone marrow transplantation.